Animal-catcher.



M. I. MILLER.

ANIMAL CATCHER.

APPLICATION FILED IULYBI. I9I7.

51,270,647. Patented June 25, l1918.

. Gwynneville,

MARTIN I. MILLER, OF GWYNNEVILLE, INDIANA.

ANIMAL-CATCHER.

Spelcication of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1918.

Application filed July 31, 1917. Serial No. 183,736.

To all whom it may Gomera:

Be it known that I, MARTIN I. Mumien, a citizen of the United States, residing at in the county of Shelby and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Animal-Catchers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved device for catching hogs, sheep, cows and other small animals which is simple in construction, convenient in use and effective in operation.

The invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts illustratcd in the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of an animal catcher embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the same.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts in the various views.

In the drawings 1 indicates generally a frame upon which the device is mounted. The frame consists of parallel plates 2 disposed apart by blocks 3, said plates and blocks being secured together by means of headed screws 1 engaging holes in the plates and screw threaded into said blocks. The blocks 3 are spaced apart and, together with the plates 2, form an inclosure 5 open at the rear end of the frame and adapted to receive a handle 6. 'A bolt 7 passes through holes in 'the plates 2 in front of the inclosure 5 and is engaged by a clevis 8 to which a rope 9 is attached. Extension arms 10 are formed on plates 2 and extend from the front end of the frame.

A pair of curved arms 11 are provided and have their roar ends pivotcd upon respective pivot studs 12 which are .mounted on extension arms 10 and extend across the space therebetween, said rear ends of the arms being disposed between the extension armslO. The front ends of the curved arms 11 are curved toward each other and have their front ends adapted to overlap one another when the arms are in closed position. IVhen in this closed position the curved portions of the arms 11 form an inclosure which is adapted to encircle the leg of an animal. A stud 13 is aiiixed to the extension arms 10 and extends across the space therebetween some distance in front of the pivot studs 12. A trigger 14; is disposed between the extension arms 10, and has a slot 15 therein which is engaged by said stud 13. The stud 13 serves to hold the trigger in place upon the frame and to limit the movement thereof. Formed on the rear end of the trigger 14 are projections 16 having oppositely disposed parallel surfaces 16. The front end of the trigger extends some distance in front of the extension arms 10 and has a contact surface 17 located thereon within the inclosure of the curved arms 11. At the rear end of the curved arms 11 opposing surfaces 1S are formed adapted, when the curved arms are in their open position, to be disposed parallel to one another, and to extend across a plano passing through the pivotal centers of the arms. When the curved arms 1S are in open position the surfaces 1G are so spaced relative to cach other, that each surface 1G thereon contacts its respective surface 18 in front of the plane passing through the pivotal centers of said curved arms when the trigger is moved to its outermost position.

The main portion of the plates 2 are tapered divergentlytoward the rear end of the frame, and a rectangular shaped washer 19 encircles the frame and is held from moving toward the rear end of the frame 5 by the enlarged portions of the plates 2. A coil compression spring 20, rectangular in cross section, encircles the extension arms 10 of the frame and has its rear end abutting the washer 19. Another rectangular washer 21 encircles the extension arms 10 and abuts the front end of the spring 20. The rectangular washer 21 is adapted to engage the outer edges of the curved arms 11, and the spring 20 coacting therethrough tends to close said curved arms. A shoulder 22 is formed upon the outer end of one of the curved arms and is adapted to contact the end of the other curved arm when the arms are closed7 so that spring 2O will not move them over each other.

It will be noted that those portions of the sides of the curved arms which are engaged by the washer 21 have various degrees of divergence respecting each other in the different positions of the curved arms 11, and that angle of divergence is relatively acute when the arms are closed. By reason of this different angularity of divergence, the spring 2O is enabled to exert a stronger force upon the curved arms to close them as the curved arms approach their closed relation, even though the spring becomes weaker as it expands.

It will be noted further in this regard, that when the curved arms are in closed relation the washer 21 has a wedging action upon the sides of the arms, which in conjunction with the action of spring 2O renders it impossible for an animal whose leg is caught within theinclosure to free itself therefrom by opening the curved arms.

Inthe operation of the device, it is set by manually moving the washer 21 back upon the extension arms 10 against the iniiuence of spring 20 and by pulling the trigger 14 to its forward position. This action, by reason ofthe angularity of the surfaces 18 when the curved arms are closed, opens saidl curved arms by the engagement of the front ends of the projection 16 therewith. Then the curved arms 11 reach their open position the surfaces 18 are parallel and the projections 16 slide therebetween upon the final forward movement ofxsaid trigger, and the surfaces 18l assume a position in front of the pivotal centers of the curved arms. The washer 21 is then released, and the spring 20 pushes it into engagement with the outer sides ofthe curved arms. The curved arms now have a tendency to close, but are prevented from doing so by the engagement of the surfaces 16 of projections 16 and the opposing surfaces 18. The device is now set to catch an animal, and the operator by means of theV handle 6 pushes the outer end of the trigger 14 against the leg of the animal to be caught. The trigger 14 is moved inwardly by this contact and the projections 16 are moved back of the plane passing through the pivotal centers of the curved arms. The arms are released thereby and closed under the action of spring 2O and iirmly holdthe leg of the animal within their inclosure. n rIhe handle 6 is then removed from the inclosure 5 and the vanimal pulled toward the operator by means of the rope 9. If the operator wishes to release the animal from the device he retracts the washer 21 from engagementV with the curved arms, and the arms may then `be opened.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim y 1. In a device of the character described, a frame, a pair of curved arms pivoted upon s-aid frame and adapted to vclose upon one'another, contact surfaces on vsaid arms, ksaid surfaces being parallel when the arms are open and converging when the arms are closed, a trigger adapted to be moved against said converging surfaces to open the arms, and a part on said trigger having parallel sides for engaging the parallel surfaces Gopi'es of this patent may be obtained for ofthe arms to hold the arms open, and spring means for closing said arms.

2. In a device of the character described, a frame, a pair of curved arms pivoted upon said frame and adapted to close one upon another, opposing contact surfaces on said arms adapted to lie parallel toeach other and to extend across a plane passing through the pivotal centers of saidarms when said arms are in open position, a movable trigger adapted to move into the paths of said surfaces when said armsare open, and a spring means for closing said arms.

8. In a device of the character described, a frame having parallel extensions formed thereon, a pair of arms pvoted on said framel between said extensions, opposing contact surfaces on said arms adapted to lie parallel to each other and to extend( across a plane passing through the pivot centers of the arms when saidarms are in open position, a trigger slidablymo'unted between said extensions and said` arms of said frame and adapted to move into the paths of said surfaces when said curved arms are `open, and a spring means for closing said curved arms.

4. In a device of the character described, a frame having parallel extensions at its front end, a pair of curved arms pivoted on said frame between said extensions, opposing contact surfaces on said curved arms adapted to Vlie parallel to each other and to extend across a plane passing through theV pivot centers of the curved arms when said arms are in open position, a trigger slidably mounted between said extensions of` said frame and adapted to move into the paths of said surfaces when said curved yarms are open, and a spring means encircling said frame for closing said curved arms.v

5. In a device of the characterdescribed,

.a frame having parallel extensions at its front end, a pair of curved arms pivoted-on said frame between said extensions, opposing contact surfaces on said curved arms adapted to lie parallel to .each other and to extend across -a plane passingthrough the pivot centers of the curved arms when said arms are in open position, a trigger mounted between said extensions of the frame and adapted to move into the path o f` said surfaces when said curved arms are open, a compression spring encircling said frame and having one endengaging the rear of said frame and having its front end engaging the outer sides of said curved arms at points in front of the pivotal centers of the same. l 1 In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

MARTiN i. MiLLER.

ave cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

